A sample simulation plan for teachers to teach with an emergent syllabus. See www.avatarlanguages.com/teaching/guide.php#emergent

1. Emergent Syllabus
sample simulation: at a café
Overview
Use this plan to prepare and do a practical simulation in class. This plan guides the teacher and the student for the activity;
however, the materials or content will come from the activity itself. The teacher and student can use phrasebooks and websites
to find useful vocabulary/phrases and real/realistic background information.
Task Description
Consider a task that you may need to do in the near future. For example, you are at a café or bar; choose the food and drink you
want and then order it.
Initial Task
Use an online menu to choose your favorite snacks and drinks. You can look for cafes/bars in a location where your target
language is spoken. Here is an example from two cafés in Boulder…
• http://www.thecupboulder.com/menu/
• http://foolishcraigs.com/page/1913q/Menus/Lunch.html
Simulation Activity (in-class)
Prepare the phrases and words you will need for this simulation. Then practice or “role-play” the situation in-class. Consider
these questions or mini dialogues …
• Customer
o Saying hello
o Asking for the menu
o Ordering drinks/snacks
o Asking for the bathroom (perhaps use a floor plan… http://tinyurl.com/37pzjzx)
o Asking about smoking areas or for an ashtray
o Asking to pay
o Paying
o Saying thank you and good bye
• Barista/waiter
o Saying hello
o Giving the menu
o Asking what kind of coffee/tea
 Large/small
 Coffee types
 Hot/cold
o Giving the bill or simply saying the amount owed
o Saying thank you and good bye
The following resources may be useful…
• www.smartphrase.com
• Google Translator
• Phrasebooks: paper-based (physical) or iPhone app
Taking it Further
The simulation can be extended in class to include more complex situations.
• the café does not have the item on the menu
• the tea/coffee/food is not hot
• some cutlery/silverware is dirty
• you don’t know the café’s Wi-Fi password
• the café’s Wi-Fi is not working – ask if they can reset the modem
Discussing the topic
A more general conversation about the topic will help to reuse the new words and phrases. Discuss what you like/dislike about
cafés. Consider the following questions…
• How often do you go to cafés? When do you go?
• What do you do in cafés (read the newspaper, meet a friend, work)?
• Do you always go to the same place? Why?
• What do you look for when choosing a café?
Visit http://www.avatarlanguages.com/teaching/guide.php for further resources.
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